Broke Old Man

A old man pulled up and came to the front desk. He said he was supposed to be getting a comped room from the local casino, but they "backed out" on him. He has no cash and the credit cards he does have are tapped out, but he would like me to set him up with a room and he would give me a good CC tomorrow. Before I can say "Nope", he start in on the sob story of how he has Parkinson disease. I said "Let me stop you right there, there is no way I can give you a room without a valid CC on file." He ask to use our restroom and I point the way for him. When he returns he ask if he knows of any hotels that could help him. I say "Sorry, I don't know of any hotels around here that will give you a room without any form of money." He grumbles about having money and leaves.

If I were a betting man I would bet he blew all his money at the casino and they tossed him out.

A few years back there was a local woman that would go to hotels in the general area trying to pull the whole "I'll pay you in the morning plus sob story" game.

She would really lay it on thick, and always have a crying baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms for extra effect.

She became very well known in the general area after one desk employee noticed that she was pinching the babies feet to make it cry. Her blanket wasn't covering her actions well enough that time. She'd pinch it's feet so it would cry harder and louder, saying it was hungry and cold and tired and they just needed a place to rest. That FDA called around to all the other hotels to let them know about her, and it became apparent that she had hit up all of them with he same rouse.

I bet you this actually worked for some places, that of course never got any money from her.

She was reported to child services for what she was doing and was never seen from again.

I tend to react negatively when people obviously try to manipulate me by playing on my sympathy. I grew up with a parent who had multiple Ph.D.s in manipulation; she could tie me in knots in less than thirty seconds, and that was on a bad day. So I tend to see it coming from a few miles off.

Once in a great while, a legitimate tough break comes through the door, and is honest rather than trying to pull my chain. When that happens, I tend to try to do what I can for them. My options are limited, but there is usually some little thing I can do to make their night less shitty.

This is going to help me so much. I live/work in an area with a lot of homeless people. They come into the hotel all the time and give me a sob story and ask for a free room. I never know where to send them. NOW I DO :D

Thank you. I can be the essence of evil to some obnoxious entitled person, and never blink an eye. But homeless people evoke almost instant empathy and compassion unless they are otherwise doing something inappropriate like stealing, causing damage, or creating a noise disruption. I created a pre-made list of local shelters with contact phone numbers that I keep on the front desk computer and can print out whenever needed.

We get sob stories from casino guests frequently when they've blown all of their money. When those don't work, they find things to complain about in the hopes of a refund. I honestly can't wait until the casino finishes their hotel so they can take the majority of the complainers.

It's possible he really did have Parkinson's. Parkinson's patients are known to have a more addictive nature, especially with gambling. I do agree with you though. Sounds like the casino tossed him out for being broke. Sucks, but you can't expect your sob story to give you a free ride.